X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from fed1rmmtao09.cox.net ([68.230.241.30] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1c.2) with ESMTP id 1330907 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:56:07 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=68.230.241.30; envelope-from=ALVentures@cox.net Received: from BigAl ([72.192.132.90]) by fed1rmmtao09.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.06.01 201-2131-130-101-20060113) with ESMTP id <20060801005518.ZSEM6303.fed1rmmtao09.cox.net@BigAl> for ; Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:55:18 -0400 From: "Al Gietzen" To: "'Rotary motors in aircraft'" Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] Re: Auto Fuel - composite tanks Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:55:21 -0700 Message-ID: <000001c6b505$2a695d50$6400a8c0@BigAl> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6B4CA.7E0CF650" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 Importance: Normal In-Reply-To: X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6B4CA.7E0CF650 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable After some research, which also included using products already tested = by others before me, I elected to coat my fuel tanks with a product made by Jeffco. Specially, Jeffco SPF9700-FCR. I built the strakes using MGS, = and then coated the interior with the Jeffco epoxy. =20 Steve Brooks Cozy MKIV N75CZ Turbo Rotary =20 When I was about to close the strakes 8 years ago (could it be that = long?), Jeffco was just beginning to be used for sealing strakes. It has since become the standard for Velocity. At the time, one of the people I had talked to was a chemist at Composite Design Company, makers of EZ-poxy. = She was doing studies comparing EZ-poxy with Jeffco and West Systems; and assured me that EZ-poxy had equivalent or better fuel compatibility than either of the others. She may have been biased, and that was then and = this is now, but in any case, with the good experience of long term use in = EZs, I stayed with what I had. =20 I can=92t imagine cutting open the strake to coat with something else at = this point. Al =20 =20 -----Original Message----- [Steve Brooks]=20 =20 From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net]On Behalf Of Al Gietzen Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 1:15 PM To: Rotary motors in aircraft Subject: [FlyRotary] Auto Fuel - composite tanks Not sure where to go with this because there are only a few here with = epoxy fuel tanks, and on the Velocity list very few interested in the use of mogas. I=92m suspecting fuel compatibility isses. =20 I first put fuel in the tanks nearly 2 years ago and used Chevron = regular. Everything was fine. When I moved the plane to the airport 3 months ago (tanks empty) I filled with Exxon-Mobile. Four troubling things have = come up in the past few weeks.=20 =20 1. I have Vance Atkinson site gauge that has a white plastic back = plate for easier reading of the fuel level. The small hole through the backing = has been swelling shut so the sight gauge no longer works. I contacted Vance = who said that there are hundreds of these gauges in EZs using mogas without problems, but he has had 3 incidents like mine in the last three months. = 2. A couple of weeks ago there was suddenly a pinhole leak in one of = the gear well enclosures. These enclosures are part of the fuel tank wall, = and are parts that come with the Velocity kit. These are also made and = coated with EZ-poxy.=20 3. Looking in through the filler cap I see reddish-purple splotches = and streaks on those gear leg enclosures. Poking and scratching with some safety wire on a stick does not indicate any softness of the surface.=20 4. Yesterday, under the leading edges of one of the strakes, I noted = an area with some slight surface irregularity. Pushing on it suggests some sponginess. This is =BD=94 foam core material, and indicates the = possibility of a pinhole leak in the inner skin, and fuel softening the PVC foam. PVC = foam is supposed to be unaffected by fuel.=20 =20 My tanks (strakes) were made and coated with EZ-poxy back in 1998. At = the time I polled EZ flyers about there experience, and talked to reps of various epoxy manufacturers about auto fuel compatibility. All the = evidence said go with the EZ-poxy. =20 Any others with composite tanks having any trouble? Anybody using Exxon-mobile fuel? Know of any new additives that are an issue? =20 I=92m thinking I should drain this fuel ASAP, but then what? Other = brand? That expensive Avgas? Regardless I may be faced with cutting open a = strake at some point, but right now we are trying to get first flight done this coming weekend. =20 =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0001_01C6B4CA.7E0CF650 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

After some = research, which also included using products already tested by others before me, I elected to coat my fuel tanks with a product made by Jeffco.  = Specially, Jeffco SPF9700-FCR.  I built the strakes using MGS, and then coated = the interior with the Jeffco epoxy.

 

Steve = Brooks

Cozy MKIV = N75CZ

Turbo = Rotary

 

When I was about to close the = strakes 8 years ago (could it be that long?), Jeffco was just beginning to be used = for sealing strakes.=A0 It has since become the standard for Velocity.=A0 At = the time, one of the people I had talked to was a chemist at Composite Design = Company, makers of EZ-poxy.=A0 She was doing studies comparing EZ-poxy with = Jeffco and West Systems; and assured me that EZ-poxy had equivalent or better fuel compatibility than either of the others. She may have been biased, and = that was then and this is now, but in any case, with the good experience of long = term use in EZs, I stayed with what I had.

 

I can’t imagine cutting = open the strake to coat with something else at this point.

Al

 

 

-----Original = Message-----
[Steve Brooks] 

 
From: Rotary motors in = aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net]On Behalf Of Al Gietzen
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 1:15 = PM
To: Rotary motors in = aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Auto = Fuel - composite tanks

Not sure where to go with = this because there are only a few here with epoxy fuel tanks, and on the = Velocity list very few interested in the use of mogas.  I’m suspecting = fuel compatibility isses.

 

I first put fuel in the = tanks nearly 2 years ago and used Chevron regular. Everything was fine.  = When I moved the plane to the airport 3 months ago (tanks empty) I filled with Exxon-Mobile.  Four troubling things have come up in the past few = weeks.

 

1.     I have Vance Atkinson site gauge that has a = white plastic back plate for easier reading of the fuel level. The small hole = through the backing has been swelling shut so the sight gauge no longer works. I contacted Vance who said that there are hundreds of these gauges in EZs = using mogas without problems, but he has had 3 incidents like mine in the last = three months.

2.     A couple of weeks ago there was suddenly a = pinhole leak in one of the gear well enclosures.  These enclosures are part = of the fuel tank wall, and are parts that come with the Velocity kit. =  These are also made and coated with EZ-poxy.

3.     Looking in through the filler cap I see reddish-purple splotches and streaks on those gear leg enclosures.  = Poking and scratching with some safety wire on a stick does not indicate any = softness of the surface.

4.     Yesterday, under the leading edges of one of = the strakes, I noted an area with some slight surface irregularity.  = Pushing on it suggests some sponginess.  This is =BD” foam core = material, and indicates the possibility of a pinhole leak in the inner skin, and fuel softening the PVC foam.  PVC foam is supposed to be unaffected by = fuel.

 

My tanks (strakes) were = made and coated with EZ-poxy back in 1998.  At the time I polled EZ flyers = about there experience, and talked to reps of various epoxy manufacturers = about auto fuel compatibility.  All the evidence said go with the = EZ-poxy.

 

Any others with composite = tanks having any trouble?  Anybody using Exxon-mobile fuel?  Know of = any new additives that are an issue?

 

I’m thinking I = should drain this fuel ASAP, but then what?  Other brand?  That expensive Avgas?  Regardless I may be faced with cutting open a strake at = some point, but right now we are trying to get first flight done this coming weekend.

 

 

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